Sir Barry Curtis call for RGS Review Endorsed.
Tuesday, 28 February 2006
Sir Barry Curtis call for RGS Review Endorsed.
Cr Dick Quax welcomes the call by Manukau mayor Sir Barry Curtis to review the Auckland Regional Growth Strategy.
"I welcome the Mayor's call to review the metropolitan urban limits. He has quite rightly recognised that the land strangulation policy being pursued by the Auckland Regional Council and endorsed by all of Auckland's local bodies is having an adverse impact on the availability of commercial land in the region and will severely limit economic growth."
Dick Quax however is also very concerned about the impact of the policy on people's ability to own their own home.
"Auckland is the 15th most unaffordable housing market in a survey of 99 cities in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, United States, Untied Kingdom and Ireland according to the 2006 Demographia International Housing Affordability Survey. It takes 6.6 times the average household wage to buy the average house in Auckland.
"I support the Mayor's call but I want him to also show concern for the most vulnerable in our society, the young and those on low incomes whose aspiration of homeownership will never become a reality unless we abolish the zoning barriers and free up more land."
ENDS